Switch-operating mechanism.



No. 637,!!2. Paten'ted Nov. I4, |899.

' W. HANEY.

SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM.

(Applicafzion filed Aug. 18, 1899.)

(N0v Model.)

A TTOHNEYS TH: cams PETERS 00.. PHoTLrrNo, WASHINGTON. A c.

UNITEDV STATES PATENT OEEICE.

VILLIAM HANEY, OF LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY.

SWITCH-OPERATING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 637,112, dated November 14, 1899. Application led August 18,1899. Serial No. 727,656. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HANEY, of Lexington, in the county of Fayette and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and Improved Switch-Operating Mechanism, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in mechanisms for opening and closing railwayswitches; and the object is to provide a simple device of this character by means of which the switch-tongue will be rigidlylocked in either of its adjusted positions, thus preventing possible accidents, and, further, to so construct the device that its operation cannot be interfered with by the clogging of dirt, snow, or ice.

I will describe a switch-operating mechanism embodying my invention and then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan View of aswitch-operating mechanism embodying my invention. Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are sectional elevations showing the operating mechanism in different positions, and Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig.- 2.

Referring to the drawings, l designates a bed-plate, on one end of which is a boxing 2, and on the other end of' which is a guideblock 3. Movable longitudinally through the boxing 2 and the guide-block 3 is a switchshifting rod 4, having transverse notches 5 6 in its upper side to receive a locking-bar 7 for locking the switch in either its closed or open position. The locking-bar 'Z is 'movable in an opening 8 in the boxing 2 and it is pressed downward by means of springs 9. These springs are held from displacement by means of rods 10, which pass downward through the boxing, through the springs, and through openings in the locking-bar 7.

Arranged at opposite sides of the shiftingbar 4 are cam-plates 11. These cam-plates have upward projections which are curved longitudinally and have their highest point 5o on a plane with the top of the shifting-bar. The cam-plates 11 are movable with the bar 4 and also have a movement Alongitudinally independent of said bar. The cam-plates are connected, by means of alink 12, to an operating-rod 13,extended to a switch-tower or other suitable place. As here shown, the link 12 is connected to the rod 13 by means of a bolt 14, which passes through a slot 15, formed longitudinally in the shifting-bar 4,

In operation, assuming that the locking-bar '7 is in the notch 6, as indicated in Fig. 2, and it is desired to shift the switch-tongue to an opposite position, the rod 13 is to be drawn outward, and this movement of the rod 13 will draw the cam-plates 11 longitudinally, so that the curved or cam portions will raise the locking-bar '7, as indicated in Fig. 3. During this motion there will be no movement of the bar 4 because of the bolt 14 moving in the slot 15. When, however, said bolt reaches the end Wall of the slot, a further movement of the rod 13 will draw the cam-plates and the bar together until the locking-bar moves into the notch 5, thus locking the switch-tongue in its adjusted position, as indicated in Fig. 4.

In reversing the switch the sameoperation Ytakes place, excepting, of course, that the rod 13 is to be moved toward the switch-operating mechanism, iirst causing movements of the cam-plates, as before described, and` then moving the bar 4'until the locking-bar enl gages in the notch 6.

As the boxing 2 is covered by a top, there is little or no danger of snow or ice getting into the same to interfere with the movements of the parts, and as the movement of the shifting-bar 4 is limited in both directions by the locking-bar dropping into a notch it is obvious that there can be no danger of moving the switch-tongue too far or too little.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A switch-operating mechanism, comprising a shifting-bar having notches in its upper side, a locking-bar adapted for engagement in either one of said notches, a camplate for moving said locking-bar outward, an operating-rod having a lost-motion connection with the shifting-bar, and a connection between said rod and the cam-plate, substantially as specified.

2. A switch-operating mechanism, comprising a shifting-bar having notches in its IOO locking-bar movable in the boxing and adapted for engagement in either one of said notches, cam-plates at the sides of the shifting-bar for moving the locking-bar out of its locking position, an operatingrod, a bolt passing through said operating rod and through a slot formed in the shifting-bar,

and a link connection between said bolt and the cam-plates, substantially as specified.

WILLAM HANEY.

Witnesses:

` HATFIELD BAPPERT,

JAMES MILES. 

